C.—l.

Akitio River Suspension-bridge Road. —During the year I have gone over the proposed line of this road across Mr. Newman's section, and agreed with him as to its direction. Instructions have been given for its survey and construction. Huia Road (Aohanga).—There has been 4 chains of formation 6 ft. wide done on this road, and 18 chains widened; 3,129 cubic yards of slips has been cleared, and the road has been maintained for a length of 3 miles 70 chains. Aohanga-Aohanga Valley (Section 183, Block IV.). —No work has been done on this road during the year. Aohanga Gorge Road.—The maintenance of this road has been very heavy : 3,852 cubic yards of slips has been cleared; 12,080 cubic yards of rock excavated ; 27 chains of bush and scrub felled and cleared; 9 chains of embankments made; 23-J- chains of drains cut; one culvert, 20 ft. long, made; one bridge, 84 ft. long, erected; 1 mile 28 chains of road was formed 16 ft. wide; 5 miles 30 chains grassed; and 3 miles 78 chains (16ft. wide) maintained. The formation was stopped in December, 1899, the money available having been expended. This last portion of the road requires to be culverted. Before the road can be of any real benefit to the settlers a bridge will require to be built over the Pongaroa Stream, to enable them to get storey, &c. Plans for this bridge are being prepared. Aohanga-Waiowaka Road.—An engineering survey of five miles has been made of this road from the Aohanga Valley to the Waiowaka Boad, and its construction is now in hand. As it will connect the Mecalickstone and Dannevirke Centennial Blocks with the road down the Aohanga Valley to the coast it should be steadily pushed on. Burling' s-Mecalickstone Road.-—-This road, with the exception of the lower half-mile near Burling's (flat ground), has been formed for a distance of about three miles, and beyond that three-quarters of a mile of 6 ft. track has been formed during the year. The works done on it during the year have consisted of 18 chains of an engineering survey, stumping and clearing 43-J chains, widening 33 chains, embankments 7 chains, cutting chains of drains, and clearing slips. Five culverts, of a total length of 162 ft., have been constructed; and one bridge, 60ft. long, has been built, and the approaches thereto formed. The road has been bad to maintain, slips being frequent, and will continue so until the hill " sets." Waikereru Road (Mecalickstone). —During the year four miles of this horse-road has been maintained, one culvert 18ft. long made, 1,504 cubic yards of slips removed, and 1J chains of road fascined. Mount Arthur Road.—This road, 6 ft. wide, has been maintained for 2 miles 40 chains, and a small amount of widening has been done. It would be advisable to continue the track for another 80 chains. This would then give a good road down to the coast, which at present necessitates crossing the Akitio Eiver twice and ascending a very steep hill. This would be avoided if the track was formed as suggested. Waiowaka Road Extension. —The work of opening up this track was commenced last December, since when 91 chains of a 6 ft. formation has been made, 30 chains widened, 337 cubic yards of slips cleared, 1,506 cubic yards of rock excavated, and 2 miles 45 chains have been maintained. The work is not finished as far as is intended, being suspended during the harvest months, but will be completed during the ensuing winter. An engineering survey for the extension of this work is now in hand. Waihoku Valley Road.—With the exception of maintaining this horse-road for 3 miles 57 chains, no other work has been done. Alfredton-Weber Road. —This road is a difficult one to keep in good repair, surfacemen being required all the year round. This is principally on account of the broken, slippery nature of the ground the road passes through. This year extensive repairs have been undertaken, some of the worst parts being shored up with timber. At present the road is in a good state of repair. A considerable amount of metalling has been done and is still going on. The metal used at Pongaroa was hard papa rock, deposited on the road immediately after breaking. Metalling has also been done near Bakaunui and Gosling's Saddle, being convenient to the quarries recently opened; and also at the Weber end, where it has been carted from the Akitio Biver bed. The bridges are in good order, excepting the decking of the lagoon bridge, for which a supply of new decking has been ordered. The principal works undertaken are as follows : Widening to a width of 16 ft., 41 chains; metalling, 2 miles chains; maintenance, 35 miles 23 chains ; slips cleared, 19,099 cubic yards; rock excavated, 2,740 cubic yards; fascining, 73 chains; clearing drains, 45 chains; embankments made, 42 chains; trimming the road (for metalling), 1 mile 53 chains; re-forming, 77 chains; building a protection-wall of 12 chains ; making four culverts, of a total length of 62 ft. ; and painting four bridges. This being a main road through a thickly populated district, I would recommend that metalling be continued vigorously, both as a means of lessening the heavy expenditure of maintenance—which is constantly recurring—and as a means of giving settlers proper access into the district. Pongaroa School Road ( Metalling).—This work is really on the Alfredton-Weber Boad, opposite the school, and is still in progress. Hukanui-Kakariki Road, (Kakariki Special Settlement). —The metalling contract on this road was nearly completed—l mile 14 chains having been done—when the weather broke for winter last year, and nothing has been done since. The completion of this work will be undertaken at once, an authority having been granted for that purpose. North Road (Wellington Special Settlement). —A grant of £lOO to the Eketahuna County Council was issued recently. Nothing has been done. Mangatainoka Valley Road.—The works done on this road during the year have been the formation, 12 ft. wide, of 34 chains ; 33 chains have been metalled to a width of 10 ft.; culverts of a total length of 180 ft. have been constructed; and one bridge (25 ft, span) has been erected, This road is now completed.

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